Casket

ABSTRACT

An apparatus for the preservation of dead bodies designed to be incorporated in a standard casket including means for providing an air-tight seal between the lid and the body of the casket and means for rapidly removing all oxygen from within the sealed casket. Casket sealing means comprising a resilient gasket including a continuous strip of magnetized material embedded therein is disposed about the exposed edge of the casket body, and a corresponding strip of stainless steel is disposed about the exposed edge of the casket top. Aerobic bacteria starvation means comprising a container including a quantity of iron powder placed therein, supply means including a quantity of sterile water placed therein, and deflector means attached to the supply means is mounted on an interior wall of the casket.

1451 Oct. 1, 1974 1 1 CASKET [76] Inventor: William E. Wallace, 1851 Arlington St., Sarasota, Fla. 33579 [22] Filed: Nov. 5, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 413,163

[52] US. Cl 27/11, 292/2515 [51] Int. Cl A61g 17/02 [58] Field of Search 27/11, 2, 3, 5, 6, 14, 27/16, 17, 35, DIG. l; 292/2515 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 806,756 12/1905 Stafford 27/11 1,963,682 6/1934 Scott 27/11 3,327,429 6/1967 Slaughter.... 27/17 3,735,456 5/1973 Cude 27/17 Primary Examiner-Richard A. Gaudet Assistant Examiner-G. F. Dunne Attorney, Agent, or FirmStein and Orman [57] ABSTRACT An apparatus for the preservation of dead bodies designed to be incorporated in a standard casket including means for providing an air-tight seal between the lid and the body of the casket and means for rapidly removing all oxygen from within the sealed casket.

Casket sealing means comprising a resilient gasket including a continuous strip of magnetized material embedded therein is disposed about the exposed edge of the casket body, and a corresponding strip of stainless steel is disposed about the exposed edge of the casket top. Aerobic bacteria starvation means comprising a container including a quantity of iron powder placed therein, supply means including a quantity of sterile water placed therein, and deflector means attached to the supply means is mounted on an interior wall of the casket. I

9 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures CASKET BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention for a casket relates to means for providing an air-tight seal between the lid and the body of the casket, and means for rapidly removing all oxygen contained within the sealed casket.

2. Description of the Prior Art For many thousands of years most of the people of the world have buried their dead beneath the surface of the earth in boxes or caskets. The purpose of the casket is to protect the body in death from the destructive forces of water, bacteria, insects, animals and the ravages of time and soil. Little change has been made in improving the protection afforded by a casket over the centuries. Basically, a casket consists of a box containing the body and a hinged lid as a cover. Both the interior of the casket and its exterior have been beautified in many respects, but the basic function of the casket itself, protection and preservation of the corpse, has never been truly fulfilled.

Even with the best of present sealing materials utilized between the lid and the box, the casket itself is still vulnerable to the destructive forces of nature. Within a relatively short period of time following burial, water, bacteria, soil insects, worms, etc., find their way into the casket with the end result being ultimate destruction of the corpse, clothing, and casket liner. Furthermore, oxygen left within the casket upon its closure aids in the continued bacterial action from within the body by aerobic bacteria, further hastening the ultimate destruction of the corpse.

In recognition of the deficiencies caused by poor sealing and by the presence of oxygen within the sealed casket, various attempts at improving the integrity of caskets are reflected in the prior art. One such attempt, in common usage today, comprises the utilization of heavy metal latches for securing the lid of the casket to the box. These latches have not proved to be entirely satisfactory for a variety of reasons. Not only do they substantially increase the cost of the casket, but also, they are subject to mechanical malfunctions. Furthermore, such latches invariably deteriorate and weaken over a period of time.

Similarly, various means for removing oxygen from within the closed casket are known in the prior art. Like prior art latches, however, such means have proved unacceptable for a variety of reasons. Many such devices, such as for example, those disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,365,639 and 2,516,488, have proved to be unacceptable because of their complex construction. Therefore, such devices are too expensive to manufacture economically and are too prone to mechanical failures.

US Pat. No. 806,756 discloses means for neutralization of the oxygen contained within the hermetically sealed casket by combustion of phosphorus or like highly-combustible agent or substance having a strong affinity for oxygen. The means for igniting the phosphorus is disclosed as an external source of electricity. Not only is such a device undesirable because of its dependence on an external power source, but also, the intense burning of substance within the casket, however effective for oxygen removal it may be, is objectionable to the survivors during their time of great sorrow.

U.S. Pat. No. 1,963,681, similarly discloses means comprising a suitable quantity of a reducing agent for the elimination of oxygen from the atmosphere in which the buried corpse is enveloped. The reducing agent is placed with the corpse within the casket at the time of burial. Its effect when the vault has been closed hermetically, according to the disclosure of the patent, is to eliminate from the atmosphere of the burial its content of oxygen, and so to starve and render ineffective those micro-organisms which are dependent upon oxygen for their increase. However, no means are disclosed to insure the efficient reaction of the reducing agent. Furthermore, because the reducing agent is placed within a water-pervious casket, which casket in turn is placed within an air-tight vault, the reducing agent may be significantly deactivated or consumed prior to its being sealed'within the vault. Finally, no means are disclosed in this patent for insuring that other impurities are not introduced into the casket along with the reducing agent.

Thus, despite numerous attempts, there have been no significant successes in increasing the integrity of modern caskets. There is still a great need in the art for providing an economical, mechanically simple, yet extremely reliable means for hermetically sealing caskets. Additionally, there is an obvious need for economical, efficient and aesthetically pleasing means for eliminating the destructive forces of aerobic bacteria from within the casket.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to means designed to be installed within a casket for providing an hermetic seal between the lid and the body of the casket, and for rapidly removing all oxygen from within the sealed casket. More specifically, the gasket sealing means comprises a resilient gasket including a continuous strip of magnetized material embedded therein disposed continuously about the exposed edge of the casket body, and a corresponding strip of magnetic attractive material, such as stainless steel, disposed continuously about the exposed edge of the casket top in concentric, abutting relation to the resilient gasket when the casket is closed. Preferably, the resilient gasket should be formed from polyvinyl chloride, and the strip of magnetized material should comprise rubberized plastic impregnated with permanently magnetized barium ferite. In order to provide a more perfect seal, it is further desirable to form a plurality of small ridges on the exposed upper surface of the resilient gasket. It is of course obvious that in caskets having a lid formed from magnetic attractive material, the corresponding strip of stainless steel referred to above may be omitted.

The means for rapidly removing all oxygen from within the sealed casket comprises aerobic bacteria starvation means, including a container having a slidably removable buttom, which container is filled with minute iron fillings or powder. The container is mounted on an interior wall of the casket by means of a plurality of L-shaped brackets. The aerobic bacteria starvation means further includes supply means filled with sterile water, which supply means is similarly mounted on an interior wall of the casket in corresponding relation to the container. A deflector means is attached to the supply means in communicating relation with the orifice of the supply means whereby the spray of sterile water may be directed toward the iron powder when the iron powder is released from the container and when the supply means is actuated.

Thus, by virtue of the construction of the present invention, it is obvious that when the casket is closed, there will be a permanent attraction between the lid and the body of the casket by virtue of the placement of the strip of magnetized material and the corresponding strip of stainless steel. It should be pointed out that even if auxiliary locking mechanisms, or latches, placed on the casket should deteriorate, rust or fail through passage of time, this permanent magnetic seal will not be affected.

It should also be noted that the integrity of the seal created in accord with this invention is enhanced by the action of the aerobic bacteria starvation means. When the aerobic bacteria starvation means is actuated and the casket is sealed, the iron powder, because of the catalytic affect of the spray of sterile water, rapidly reacts with any free oxygen present in the atmosphere within the sealed casket. The result of this reaction is the formation of ferric oxide e 0, Because virtually all oxygen available ultimately combines with the iron, the atmospheric pressure within the sealed casket is lowered. That is to say, a partial vacuum is created.

This invention accordingly comprises an article of manufacture possessing the features, properties and the relation of elements which will be exemplified in the article hereinafter described, and the scope of the invention will be indicated in the claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention, reference should be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a casket showing the casket sealing means.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along line 2-2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a front elevational view of a portion of the casket side wall showing the aerobic bacteria starvation means, partly in section.

FIG. 4 is a bottom view of the aerobic bacteria starvation means.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION This invention relates to an apparatus for the preservation of dead bodies designed to be incorporated in a standard casket, generally indicated as in FIG. 1, including means for providing an air-tight seal between the lid 12 and the body 14 of casket l0 and means, generally indicated as 16 in FIG. 3, for rapidly removing all oxygen from within the scaled casket. Of course, it should be obvious that this invention is intended for use with any casket and certainly is not limited to the cubicle or box-like" configuration shown in the drawings.

The casket sealing means comprises a resilient gasket 18 including a continuous strip of magnetized material 20 embedded therein. Gasket 18 is disposed continuously about the exposed edge 22 of casket body 14. The casket sealing means further comprises a corresponding strip of magnetic attractive material 24 disposed continuously about the exposed edge of casket top 12 in concentric, abutting relation to gasket 18 when casket it) is closed.

Resilient gasket 18 is preferably formed from polyvinyl chloride. Magnetized material 20 preferably comprises plastic impregnated with barium ferite. In order to insure the formation of an hermetic seal when casket 10 is closed, the exposed surface 28 of gasket 18 further includes a plurality of ridges 30 formed thereon.

Aerobic bacteria starvation means 16 is mounted on an interior wall 32 of casket 10 by means of a plurality of substantially L-shaped brackets 34 attached to interior wall 32 in supporting relation to aerobic bacteria starvation means 16. Aerobic bacteria starvation means 16 comprises a substantially rectangular container 36. Container 36 includes a slidably removable bottom 38 having an angularly extending lip 40 formed on one end 42 thereof. Container 36 further includes a quantity of iron powder 44 placed therein.

Aerobic bacteria starvation means 16 further comprises supply means, generally indicated as 46 in FIG. 3, comprising aerosol spray means 48 including a quantity of sterile water placed therein. Supply means 46 is mounted in predetermined communicating relation to container 36 such that container 36 is interposed between aerosol spray means 48 and angularly extending lip 40. Aerosol spray means 48 further includes selflocking valve 50 having an orifice 52.

Aerobic bacteria starvation means 16 further comprises deflector means, generally indicated as 54 in FIGS. 3 and 4, attached to aerosol spray means 48 and disposed in communicating relation with orifice 52, whereby sterile water is directed toward iron powder 44 when iron powder 44 is released from container 36, and when aerosol spray means 48 is actuated by depressing self-locking valve 50. Deflector means 54 comprises attachment collar 56 which is correspondingly configured as the top portion of aerosol spray means 48. Attachment collar 56 includes two legs 58 extending therefrom in the same plane as attachment collar 56, and a deflection plate 60 is formed on legs 58 and extends outwardly from attachment collar 56 in communicating relation with orifice 52.

In operation, the apparatus of the present invention is utilized in the following manner. Just prior to closing casket 10, the attendant opens bottom 38 by pulling lip 40. As a result, iron powder is scattered on the floor of casket 10. The attendant then actuates aerosol spray means 48 by depressing self-locking valve 50, thereby releasing sterile water through orifice 52. The sterile water strikes deflection plate 60 of deflector means 54 and is thereby directed toward iron powder 44. Immediately after depressing self-locking valve 56 the attendant closes lid 12 to form an hermetic seal between resilient gasket 18 and strip 24. Of course, it should be obvious that if lid 12 of casket H0 is formed from magnetic attractive material, strip 24 may be omitted. Because of the catalytic effect of sterile water on iron powder 44., oxidation of iron powder 44 immediately begins, resulting in the formation of ferric oxide and a resultant decrease in atmospheric pressure within casket 10. This eliminates the source of life, and thus the destructive forces, of any aerobic bacteria still present within the casket.

It will thus be seen that the objects made apparent from the preceding description, are efficiently attained, and since certain changes may be made in the above construction without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

It is also to be understood that the following claims are intended to cover all of the generic and specific features of the invention herein described, and all statements of the scope of the invention, which, as a matter of language, might be said to fall therebetween.

Now that the invention has been described, what is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for the preservation of dead bodies designed to be incorporated in a standard casket, said apparatus comprising: casket sealing means comprising a resilient gasket including a continuous strip of magnetized material embedded therein disposed continuously about an exposed edge of the casket body and a corresponding strip of magnetic attractive material disposed continuously about a correspondingly positioned exposed edge of the casket top in concentric, abutting relation to said gasket when the casket is closed, and aerobic bacteria starvation means mounted on an interior wall of the casket, said aerobic bacteria starvation means comprising a container including a quantity of metallic powder capable of oxidation in the presence of water placed therein, said aerobic bacteria starvation means further comprising a supply means, including a quantity of sterile water placed therein, mounted in predetermined communicating relation to said container, and deflector means attached to said supply means and disposed in communicating relation with the orifice of said supply means whereby said sterile water is directed toward said metallic powder when said metallic powder is released from said container and when said supply means is actuated.

2. An apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said gasket comprises polyvinyl chloride, the exposed surface of which includes a plurality of ridges formed thereon whereby a hermetic seal is formed when the casket is closed.

3. An apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said magnetized material comprises plastic impregnated with magnetized barium ferite.

4. An apparatus as in claim 1 further comprising a plurality of brackets attached to said interior wall in supporting relation to said aerobic bacteria starvation means whereby said aerobic bacteria starvation means is mounted to said interior wall.

5. An apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said container comprises a substantially rectangular plastic container including a slidably removable bottom.

6. An apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said supply means comprises a pressurized container including a reservoir for said sterile water and self-locking actuation means comprising a valve, whereby said sterile water may be discharged.

7. An apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said deflector means is removably attached about said supply means.

8. An apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said deflector means comprises an attachment collar correspondingly configured as the top portion of said supply means, whereby said deflector means may be attached about said top portion, said attachment collar including a plurality of legs extending outwardly therefrom in the same plane as said attachment collar, and a deflection plate formed on said legs and extending outwardly from said attachment collar in communicating relation with said orifice.

9. An apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said casket sealing means comprises a resilient gasket formed from a strip of polyvinyl chloride, the exposed surface of which includes a plurality of ridges formed thereon, said gasket further including a continuous strip of plastic impregnated with magnetized barium ferite embedded therein, disposed continuously about an exposed edge of the casket body and a corresponding strip of stainless steel disposed continuously about a correspondingly positioned exposed edge of the casket top in concentric, abutting relation to said gasket when the casket is closed, said apparatus further comprising a plurality of substantially L-shaped brackets attached to said interior wall in supporting relation to said aerobic bacteria starvation means whereby said aerobic bacteria starvation means is mounted on said interior wall, said aerobic bacteria starvation means comprising a substantially rectangular plastic container having its width, height and length in ratio of substantially l.l:24, said container including a slidably removable bottom having an angularly extending lip formed on one end thereof, said container further including said quantity of said metallic powder comprising iron powder placed therein, aerosol spray means, including a reservoir for said quantity of sterile water and a self-locking valve including said orifice, mounted at the other end of said container such that said container is interposed between said aerosol spray means and said angularly extending lip, said deflector means comprising an attachment collar correspondingly configured as the top portion of said reservoir, whereby said deflector means is attached about said top portion, said attachment collar further including two legs extending outwardly therefrom in the same plane as said attachment collar, and a deflection plate formed on said legs and extending outwardly from said attachment collar in communicating relation with said orifice, whereby said sterile water is directed toward said iron powder when said iron powder is released from said container and when said self-locking valve is actuated. 

1. AN APPARATUS FOR THE PRESERVATION OF DEAD BODIES DESIGNED TO BE INCORPORATED IN A STANDARD CASKET, SAID APPARATUS COMPRISING: CASKET SEALING MEANS COMPRISING A RESILIENT GASKET INCLUDING A CONTINUOUS STRIP OF MAGNETIZED MATERIAL EMBEDDED THEREIN DISPOSED CONTINUOUSLY ABOUT AN EXPOSED EDGE OF THE CASKET BODY AND A CORREPONDING STRIP OF MAGNETIC ATTRACTIVE MATERIAL DISPOSED CONTINUOUSLY ABOUT A CORRESPONDINGLY POSITIONED EXPOSED EDGE OF THE CASKET TOP OM CONCENTRIC, ABUTTING RELTAION TO SAID GASKET WHEN THE CASKET IS CLOSED, AND AEROBIC BACTERIA STARVATION MEANS MOUNTED ON AN INTERIOR WALL OF THE CASCET, SAID AEROBIC BATERIA STARVATION MEANS COMPRISING A CONTAINER INCLUDING A QUANTITY OF METALLIC POWDER CAPABLE OF OXIDATION IN THE PRESENCE OF WATER PLACED THEREIN, SAID AEROBIC BACTERIA STARVATION MEANS FURTHER COMPRISING A SUPPLY MEANS, INCLUDING A QUANTITY OF STERILE WATER PLACE THEREIN, MOUNTED IN PREDETERMINED COMMUNICATING RELATION TO SAID CONTAINER, AND DEFLECTOR MEANS ATTACHED TO SAID SUPPLY MEANS AND DISPOSED IN COMMUNICATING RELATION WITH THE ORIFICE OF SAID SUPPLY MEANS WHEREBY SAID STERILE WATER IS DIRECTED TOWARD SAID METALLIC POWDER WHEN SAID METALLIC POWDER IS RELEASED FROM SAID CONTAINER AND WHEN SAID SUPPLY MEANS IS ACTUATED.
 2. An apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said gasket comprises polyvinyl chloride, the exposed surface of which includes a plurality of ridges formed thereon whereby a hermetic seal is formed when the casket is closed.
 3. An apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said magnetized material comprises plastic impregnated with magnetized barium ferite.
 4. An apparatus as in claim 1 further comprising a plurality of brackets attached to said interior wall in supporting relation to said aerobic bacteria starvation means whereby said aerobic bacteria starvation means is mounted to said interior wall.
 5. An apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said container comprises a substantially rectangular plastic container including a slidably removable bottom.
 6. An apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said supply means comprises a pressurized container including a reservoir for said sterile water and self-locking actuation means comprising a valve, whereby said sterile water may be discharged.
 7. An apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said deflector means is removably attached about said supply means.
 8. An apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said deflector means comprises an attachment collar correspondingly configured as the top portion of said supply means, whereby said deflector means may be attached about said top portion, said attachment collar including a plurality of legs extending outwardly therefrom in the same plane as said attachment collar, and a deflection plate formed on said legs and extending outwardly from said attachment collar in communicating relation with said orifice.
 9. An apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said casket sealing means comprises a resilient gasket formed from a strip of polyvinyl chloride, the exposed surface of which includes a plurality of ridges formed thereon, said gasket further including a continuous strip of plastic impregnated with magnetized barium ferite embedded therein, disposed continuously about an exposed edge of the casket body and a corresponding strip of stainless steel disposed continuously about a correspondingly positioned exposed edge of the casket top in concentric, abutting relation to said gasket when the casket is closed, said apparatus further comprising a plurality of substantially L-shaped brackets attached to said interior wall in supporting relation to said aerobic bacteria starvation means whereby said aerobic bacteria starvation means is mounted on said interior wall, said aerobic bacteria starvation means comprising a substantially rectangular plastic container having its width, height and length in ratio of substantially 1.1:24, said container including a slidably removable bottom having an angularly extending lip formed on one end thereof, said container further including said quantity of said metallic powder comprising iron powder placed therein, aerosol spray means, including a reservoir for said quantity of sterile water and a self-locking valve including said orifice, mounted at the other end of said container such that said container is interposed between said aerosol spray means and said angularly extending lip, said deflector means comprising an attachment collar correspondingly configured as the top portion of said reservoir, whereby said deflector means is attached about said top portion, said attachment collar further including two legs extending outwardly therefrom in the same plane as said attachment collar, and a deflection plate formed oN said legs and extending outwardly from said attachment collar in communicating relation with said orifice, whereby said sterile water is directed toward said iron powder when said iron powder is released from said container and when said self-locking valve is actuated. 